Methods for optimizing business processes, complying with regulations, and identifying threat and vulnerabilty risks for an enterprise

Abstract

Methods for optimizing business processes, complying with governmental regulations, and identifying threat and vulnerability risks for an enterprise are disclosed. According to various embodiments, the method includes identifying at least one critical asset of the enterprise and identifying at least one business process of the enterprise associated with the identified critical asset. The method also includes identifying and evaluating at least one technological component of the enterprise associated with the enterprise's performance of the at least one business process and/or creating a threat profile for the business process. In addition, the method includes performing at least one of a risk analysis, a regulatory compliance analysis and a business process optimization analysis for the business process based on the evaluation of the at least one technological component and/or the threat profile. Additionally, the method may include at least one of developing a protection strategy, a compliance strategy and an optimization strategy for the enterprise based on the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis and process optimization analysis, respectively.

1 . A method comprising: 
 identifying at least one critical asset of an enterprise;    identifying at least one business process of the enterprise associated with the identified critical asset;    identifying and evaluating at least one technological component of the enterprise associated with the business process and the critical asset; and    performing at least one of a risk analysis, a regulatory compliance analysis and a business process optimization analysis for the business process based on the evaluation of the at least one technological component.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 identifying at least one area of concern of the enterprise associated with the identified business process and the identified critical asset; and    creating a threat profile for the identified at least one area of concern,    and wherein performing at least one of the risk analysis, the regulatory compliance analysis and the business process optimization analysis further includes performing at least one of the risk analysis, the regulatory compliance analysis and the business process optimization analysis for the business process additionally based on the threat profile.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising generating an interdependency matrix for business processes of the enterprise, and wherein performing at least one of the risk analysis, the regulatory compliance analysis and the business process optimization analysis further includes performing at least one of the risk analysis, the regulatory compliance analysis and the business process optimization analysis additionally based on the interdependency matrix.  
   
   
       4 . The method of claims  1 ,  2  or  3 , further comprising at least one of: 
 developing a protection strategy for the enterprise based on the risk analysis;    developing a compliance strategy for the enterprise based on the regulatory compliance analysis; and    developing an optimization strategy for the enterprise based on the process optimization analysis.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising developing a master plan for the enterprise based on the security strategy, the compliance strategy, and the optimization strategy.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising monitoring the enterprise's performance of the business process for compliance with the master plan.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising executing a mitigation response plan when the enterprise's performance of the business process is not in compliance with the master plan.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein identifying the at least one area of concern comprises at least one of: 
 determining a state of regulatory compliance by the enterprise for the business process;    determining a state of data security practices by the enterprise for the business process;    identifying potential threats to the enterprise with respect to the business process; and    identifying business process security requirements for the business process.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein creating the threat profile further comprises: 
 determining potential outcomes for at least one of a security threat and a compliance threat to the business process; and    determining performance risks for the business process related to the enterprise's performance of the business process.    
   
   
       10 . The method of claims  1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein identifying and evaluating the at least one technological component of the enterprise associated with the enterprise's performance of the at least one business process comprises: 
 identifying technological components used by the enterprise in the performance of the business process;    performing an optimization analysis on the technological components; and    selecting the at least one technological component for evaluation based on the optimization analysis.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein identifying and evaluating the at least one technological component of the enterprise associated with the enterprise's performance of the at least one business process further comprises: 
 identifying at least one evaluation tool to be used for evaluating the at least one technological component;    running the at least one evaluation tool;    analyzing results from running of the evaluation tool; and    creating a vulnerability summary based on the results.    
   
   
       12 . The method of claims  1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein performing the risk analysis, the regulatory compliance analysis and the business process optimization analysis for the business process comprises: 
 evaluating a risk of each threat outcome from the evaluation of the at least one technological profile and the threat profile on at least one impact category; and    assigning a risk impact to each threat based on the evaluation.    
   
   
       13 . The method of claims  1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein developing the protection strategy comprises: 
 evaluating results of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in strategic practice areas of the enterprise;    creating a strategic protection strategy for the enterprise based on the evaluation of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in the strategic practice areas of the enterprise;    evaluating results of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in operational practice areas of the enterprise; and    creating an operational protection strategy for the enterprise based on the evaluation of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in the operational practice areas of the enterprise.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein developing the protection strategy further comprises creating a risk mitigation plan based on the strategic protection strategy and the operational protection strategy.  
   
   
       15 . The method of claims  1 ,  2  or  3  wherein developing the compliance strategy comprises: 
 evaluating results of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in strategic practice areas of the enterprise;    creating a strategic compliance strategy for the enterprise based on the evaluation of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in the strategic practice areas of the enterprise;    evaluating results of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in operational practice areas of the enterprise; and    creating an operational compliance strategy for the enterprise based on the evaluation of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in the operational practice areas of the enterprise.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein developing the compliance strategy further comprises creating a risk mitigation plan based on the strategic compliance strategy and the operational compliance strategy.  
   
   
       17 . The method of claims  1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein developing the optimization strategy comprises: 
 evaluating results of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in strategic practice areas of the enterprise;    creating a strategic optimization strategy for the enterprise based on the evaluation of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in the strategic practice areas of the enterprise;    evaluating results of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in operational practice areas of the enterprise; and    creating an operational optimization strategy for the enterprise based on the evaluation of the risk analysis, regulatory compliance analysis, and process optimization analysis in the operational practice areas of the enterprise.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein developing the optimization strategy further comprises creating a risk mitigation plan based on the strategic optimization strategy and the operational optimization strategy.  
   
   
       19 . A method comprising: 
 identifying at least one critical asset of an enterprise;    identifying at least one business process of the enterprise associated with the identified critical asset;    identifying at least one area of concern of the enterprise associated with the identified business process and the identified critical asset;    creating a threat profile for the identified at least one area of concern; and    performing at least one of a risk analysis, a regulatory compliance analysis and a business process optimization analysis for the business process based on the threat profile.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising generating an interdependency matrix for business processes of the enterprise, and wherein performing at least one of the risk analysis, the regulatory compliance analysis and the business process optimization analysis further includes performing at least one of the risk analysis, the regulatory compliance analysis and the business process optimization analysis additionally based on the interdependency matrix.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising at least one of: 
 developing a protection strategy for the enterprise based on the risk analysis;    developing a compliance strategy for the enterprise based on the regulatory compliance analysis; and    developing an optimization strategy for the enterprise based on the process optimization analysis.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising developing a master plan for the enterprise based on the security strategy, the compliance strategy, and the optimization strategy.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising monitoring the enterprise's performance of the business process for compliance with the master plan.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising executing a mitigation response plan when the enterprise's performance of the business process is not in compliance with the master plan.  
   
   
       25 . A method comprising: 
 identifying at least one critical asset of an enterprise;    identifying a plurality of business processes of the enterprise associated with the identified critical asset;    generating at least one interdependency matrix for the plurality of business processes of the enterprise; and    performing at least one of a risk analysis, a regulatory compliance analysis and a business process optimization analysis for the enterprise based on the interdependency matrix.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising at least one of: 
 developing a protection strategy for the enterprise based on the risk analysis;    developing a compliance strategy for the enterprise based on the regulatory compliance analysis; and    developing an optimization strategy for the enterprise based on the process optimization analysis.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising developing a master plan for the enterprise based on the security strategy, the compliance strategy, and the optimization strategy.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising monitoring the enterprise's performance of the business process for compliance with the master plan.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising executing a mitigation response plan when the enterprise's performance of the business process is not in compliance with the master plan.